Time heals, love helps
by MysteriousGreenHufflepuffAgent
Summary: After Kate's death the team needs each other more than before.  A bit McAbby included! :   My first
1. Chapter 1

_Time heals, love helps_

It was a horrible day. The third day after the horrible event. None of the team members could believe it. They all seemed to live in a kind of dreamy trance, protecting themselves against the awful realization that had to come some time soon.  
>All of them but Gibbs. He just sat at his desk doing nothing, staring at his computer screen. He knew what had happened, knew that it was real, knew it was his fault.<br>It was just the same thing Tony did.  
>Or at least they thought so.<br>It wasn't at all their fault and Gibbs promised to himself and to the spirit of Kate (though he doubted she would hear him) that he would find

Ari Haswari and kill him slowly, in a most painful way.

Gibbs loved every member of his team and he almost couldn't breath.  
>The guilt and grief he felt were too strong.<br>If he just had proectet her, as it was his job...  
>He would be dead if he had took the bullet instead of her and his team would be crying over him instead, but they would remember him as Leroy Jethro Gibbs, their leader who has died to protect them.<p>

But now...  
>„You would not have been able to stop that bullet", he told himself „be reasonable".<br>But he couldn't silence the guilt.  
>Neither could Tony. He had stood right beside her when Kate had been shot.<p>

He had been frozen. And he still was. All this blood from his partner's head had been too much.  
>He had secretly admired her. Not that he had loved her, he didn't know much about real love and he knew it. But she had been good-looking, with her dark hair and eyes.<br>„Actually", he thought „she was quite hot!".  
>But thinking this, immediately hurt. The little word 'was' was like thousands of little knives in his heart and body and in his head, because he hadn't had much sleep lately.<br>But he knew that he had to accept the fact that his partner was no longer with him. Kate was dead. 

* * *

><p>Tony was sitting at his desk glaring at nobody in particular.<p>

When he couldn't stand the silence around him and the voices in his head shouting out „You should have saved her! You should be dead! It's all your fuckinf fault!", he decided that he needed to talk to somebody.  
>His first reaction to that thought would have been to walk over to Kate's desk. She would understand his pain.<p>

He slowly shook his head. He thought he was going insane, thinking about talking to Kate about her own death.  
>With a sigh he turned his head towards Gibbs. He clearly suffered, but he had a determined, stern look on his face. And anyway, talking to Gibbs about feelings was no good at all.<br>But who els was there?  
>McGee? Ugh, no way! He, Tony DiNozzo would never ever tell McGee his feelings. Make him seem weak in front of the this boy?<br>And Duckie...  
>Tony had to admit that he quite liked Ducky but he <em><strong>was<strong>_ kind of creepy.  
>And he feared that Ducky would agree that Kate's death had really been his fault. He wouldn't be able to stand that.<br>At last he decided to visit Abby in her lab. After all she had been his patner's best friend and he knew Abby needed some comfort as well.  
>He went into the elevator and pushed the button.<br>Gibbs had been talking to Abby the night it had happened, so much he knew. Gibbs, who knew exactly how to deal with Abby, the crazy, tough-looking woman who was just a vulnerable girl inside.  
>He felt a great wave of pity for her but also for himself. He was all alone now, without his partner and friend. His eyes stung and tears leaked onto his skin.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Timothy McGee was sitting in the office, deep in thought.

He had liked Kate, though he hadn't known her long or very well. But she was on his team and the loss was unbearable.  
>The whole team was being silent, sitting and staring and doing nothing at all.<p>

Tim thoght that Tony had even gone home. Nobody cared.

"What would have happened if somebody else had died?" he asked himself "What if it had been Gibbs? We would be without our boss then. It would be awful, we just would get a new one and nobody is as good as him. If it had been Tony I would at least not be teased by him all the time anymore... But still I like him and it would have been kind of a heart breake seing Tony, who is always that confident and strong, die."  
>But he knew that it could have been him, also .<br>He wasn't ready to go, to leave his life and the ones he loved and cared about.  
>He couldn't imagine their reactions and he didn't want to hurt them, even if it wasn't his own fault.<br>But _who were_ his loved ones? He loved his parents, though he didn't see them at all, he was too busy, but they kept in touch, calling every week.  
>His little sister. He loved her. She was not perfect but he felt responsible for her.<br>His team and his friends, which were, actually, the same, since he was so busy with work and together with them all the time.  
>So Kate had died, but there was Tony, who Tim actually admired and saw as a kind of role model, although he never planned on becoming like him, he'd rather commit suicide...<br>And Gibbs, his boss, who would go through fire for his team.  
>And of course there was Abby...<br>Abby. He'd do anything for her. He fell in love with her the very first time they met. Since then she has been always on his mind, always her image in his head.  
>She was an amazing woman, so cute in her own tough way and crazy but in a really positive way.<br>She solved the most difficult problem and was a genius in finding and analysing tracks.  
>He had never told her that he felt all this by simply looking at her.<br>They had a kinda flirty relationship, that was right, but he wanted Abby to know how strong his feelings were.  
>It could be him dying next.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

McGee heared the „bing" and the elevator doors opened.

He had been thinking all the way own to Abby's lab, searching for the right words to say but had decided that, for once, it would be best to just tell her exactly what he felt.

* * *

><p>Inside the lab, Abby and Tony stood in a tight hug, both crying quietly.<p>

The first thing McGee saw when he entered was the woman he loved and the man that bullied him, day by day, pressed together desperatly.  
>He didn't see the tears.<p>

His first reaction was to turn around and go back to his office where he could think about this. But when he turned Abby looked up because she had heared him. She let go of Tony and turned towards McGee instead who was looking pale. Tony, who had just notice McGee, turned his back on him and wiped his face.

But it was unnoticed by McGee, who was staring at Abby.

Abby just returned his look wondering what was going on inside his head. Usually she could read his expressions like an open book. But right now his big brown eyes were staring at her in an accusatory way and she didn't know why they should do. She couldn't figure a reason. In some way he looked hurt, sad about something.  
>"It must be Kate's death, it affects him more than I thought it would" Abby thought. " I'm really sorry about it", she said, but McGee thought she meant the hug and didn't want to hear anything about it, because of the sudden anger and envy that had gotten hold of him. He went back to the elevator without a word, leaving Abby and Tony to stare after him.<p>

"He's busy, right?", Abby asked Tony, searching for an excuse for McGee's behavior.  
>"He's jealous" replied Tony and he was right.<p>

* * *

><p>McGee got out of the elevator again, confused and angry. He was going to think about this, but for now it was all too much. Too much to bear, too much pain.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

After what he had seen down in the lab, McGee had intended to go back to office and return to his seat behind his desk and think about Abby and Tony and his feelings.

He thought that it would be unnoticed by any of the others, because they were still grieving ove Kate's death.  
>But, of course, Tony had noticed his behavior down there and interpreted it right.<p>

McGee thought that Tony wouldn't have any experience with being traeted by a woman like that, but still thought he'd know jealousy and real passion if he saw them. And he was right.  
>Tony seemed to have known McGees thoughts exactly and he wouldn't let him get away with it.<p>

He had already planned it inside his head. First he would be teasing he a little about it. Nothing too serious, nothing that would hurt McGee and he had to already know by now, not to take him always serious.  
>Then he would tell him that it all ahd just been a friendly gesture from both of them.<br>And last of all he'd advice him to go down again and talk to Abby.

The look on McGees face when Tony approached him, showed clearly that he didn't want to talk about what had happened. "At least not with me" thought Tony "If he only knew that nothing special happened at all..."

"Hey, McJealous!", he blurted out "Wanna know how Abby's latest Tattoo looks like?"  
>And for the hint of a secound, McGee really believed that Abby had shown it to Tony. In his miserable condition, he was ready to believe nearly anything, but Tony had given himself away through a wide grin.<p>

Yeah it was a little distraction from his sadness and guilt, but the grin didn't reach his eyes, not even as he did his second favorite thing, bullying McGee, that McGee almost pitied him.

"You know, you're reaction was quite amusing", he tolf McGee "but do you honestly think I'd start off something with Abby? I mean, I really like her, but..."  
>But he never got that far "Don't you ever dare saying anything against Abby, at least when I'm around", McGee growled.<p>

And for once, even Tony thought he looked dangerous. And that is exactly how he felt: dangerous. He wouldn't let anybody ever insult his Abby!

"Well, actually, I was just trying to tell you that we just talked about Kate and we both needed some comfort and you know Abby. There's nothing more going on between us.", Tony said in a calming voice.  
>And it worked: McGee's face became lighter, more relaxed.<p>

On the iside, he was so very relieved, that he barely could surpress the urge to sprint to the lift immediately.

But he made himself stay and listen to the rest Tony had to say.  
>"I wouldn't let her wait" he Tony was saying "Not only with your apology but with telling her your fellings also!"<p>

And there was nothing more to be said, nothing more that kept Timothy McGee on his chair.

_Author's note: I know it sounds a bit havy, saying that Tony is bullying McGee. But actually this is exactly what he does. I love Tony and this is why I hate it myself but this is the truth.  
><em>

**_Iwould really appreciate some reviews! Thanks_**


	5. Chapter 5

"What was that about, Timmy?", Abby asked McGee as he returned to her lab.  
>"What was what about?", he asked her back, trying and failing to sound innocent.<p>

"You know exactly what I mean.", she said slowly. "You just ran out of my lab like you were chased by the devil or something! And, you know, Tony said it was because you're jealous. But jealous abou what exactly?", she finished, looking up at him.

For a moment, McGee just stood there in silence, not knowing what to say, just staring at her.

After what seemed like several hours, he gathered all his bravery and started speaking softly

"I know I shouldn't have run away like that earlier. It was just, that it looked like more than friendship to me, what was between Tony and you. I know now, that there's nothing more about you two, but at that moment it really hurt. Because" his voice was growing fiercer now with every word "Bacause, yeah, I was jealous. So what!

I have all rights to be! Because I've loved you ever since we first met. Abby Sciuto, you're th most beautiful and interesting, exciting and smart woman I've ever known"  
>He considered saying it for a few secounds but with the thought that he had nothing left to lose he decided to just say it "And the most sexy", he said in a smaller voice, which made Abby grin.<p>

But with all the bravery gone, he then simply stood at the spot, staring down at his feet, waiting for her to respond anything.

But instead of any words, she just ran towards him and hugged him.  
>Encouraged by her move, he held on to the hug a bit, but then pulled away slowly to look at her and he softly placed a hand on her cheek and turnedher face towards his. "I love you", he whispered, before their lips met gently.<p>

* * *

><p>After what seemed to must have been half an eternity, they broke apart, both smiling widely.<p>

"You know, I wnated to do this for a long time now.", McGee admitted.

"And I always waited for you to do this.", Abby replied.

And after that (_and the uncreativeness of the author_) they shared another kiss.

**_End :) Reviews please?_**


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